Oldest trick

THE proposed plans for a second runway at Stansted are just the next stage in its development into one of the world s largest airports. Unable to get its way all in one go, BAA is doing it step by step. By making a few short-term concessions it is employi

THE proposed plans for a second runway at Stansted are just the next stage in its development into one of the world's largest airports.

Unable to get its way all in one go, BAA is doing it step by step. By making a few short-term concessions it is employing one of the oldest tricks in the book to get its plans through.

If the plans are passed it will only be a matter of time before further planning applications are put in for more car parks, roads and runways.

They chose their words carefully when they stated in Plane Talk "we now regard the boundary adjacent to Burton End as fixed for the purpose of our planning application". But what about future planning applications?

Those who may have been lulled into a false sense of security by plans to land on one runway and take off on the other should examine the small print carefully.

BAA reserves the right to change this system so that planes can land and take off on both runways if it needs more capacity.

Christopher Sewell

Sible Hedingham